Feeling Depressed? By Jan Nissl, RN, BS

 

Life is full of changes. Everyday events and our reactions to them sometimes interfere with our sense of well-being and peace of mind. It is common to get the blues or become sad when disappointed. Symptoms of depression are the most common medical problems seen by health professionals. It is estimated that feelings of depression will affect about one-third of all adults in Canada at some time in their lives.

Most people experience feelings of sadness over such losses as divorce or separation, the death of a friend or loved one, or a job change or layoff. These feelings are an expected reaction to a "triggering event," and most people get over them in time.

Several factors increase your risk of developing feelings of depression, such as:

• Female sex. Women are twice as likely as men to experience feelings of depression. Hormonal changes may play a role in these feelings, which may be more evident during pregnancy, especially shortly after the birth of a baby (postpartum depression) or shortly before or during menopause. Some women experience feelings of sadness or depression shortly before the start of menstruation (premenstrual syndrome, or PMS).
• Age older than 60. Feelings of depression in this age group are frequently overlooked because the symptoms are similar to other diseases and problems experienced by older adults. Adults in this age group are more likely to experience social isolation. Feelings of sadness may accompany other life events, such as retirement, death of a spouse or child, or declining physical abilities.
• Personal or family history. You are more likely to experience feelings of depression if you have a history of previous depression, an anxiety disorder, or another mental illness. You are also 2 to 3 times more likely to experience feelings of depression if one or both of your parents were diagnosed with depression.
• Medical problems—such as cancer, kidney disease, heart disease, or Parkinson's disease—or alcohol or substance abuse or withdrawal.
• Stressful life events, such as changing jobs, the loss of a job, or children leaving home.
• Lack of family or social support.

Symptoms of depression that may indicate a need for treatment vary from person to person. If you experience feelings of sadness or loss of interest in pleasurable activities plus 4 or more of the following symptoms for 2 weeks or longer, you may be depressed.

• Changes in appetite or weight
• Restlessness or decreased activity that is noticed by others
• Feeling tired or sleepy all of the time
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping more than usual
• Inability to concentrate or make decisions
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Preoccupation with death or recurrent thoughts of suicide

People who feel depressed may also have physical symptoms, such as body aches or stomach problems.
Because "mood swings" and other emotional changes are considered a normal part of growing up, depression in children and teens often goes unrecognized. Children and teens do develop depression, and it can affect a child's quality of life. If prolonged or severe depression is left untreated, it can lead to serious outcomes, including suicide attempts and even completed suicide. If you are thinking about suicide, talk to someone about your feelings. If you are not able to talk with your health professional immediately, call your local suicide hotline or this suicide hotline (Canada and U.S.) 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255.

Two Easy Steps to End The Sadness

Depression is a virus that has quietly invaded your mind. It crept in like a cancer and little by little has taken away your life as you were meant to live it.


The mind is a very powerful creating instrument and a lot like a child. If left unattended, it will run wild and make decisions that may be harmful. If not given proper guidance, the mind will learn to operate on survival  instinct and reactions alone. With no tender loving care and a little discipline, it will rebel.


The brain wires and rewires itself according to our very own thoughts and feelings.
Our thinking causes feelings, and feelings directly affect our brain. I won’t go into the long details, but feel free to check Wikipedia's Chemical Synapse if you wish.

In layman’s terms, depression has been brought to you by your brain, by the continuous accumulation of negative thoughts and feelings over many years. The seed of depression may have been planted when you were very young, or could be the result of a traumatic event. Either way, your brain has wired itself negatively and you are left with a chemical imbalance which can cause sadness, depression, feelings of worthlessness and many other mental and physical ailments.

Here is a video explaining brain function as it pertains to depression.

Being able to rise up, and live a happy life free of depression is not a one time, snap your finger and you are cured type of occurrence. It’s a new way of life; a journey in which you have a golden opportunity to discover who you really are; to figure out exactly what it is you like and what you don’t like.

If you want to overpower depression you should think of it as an enemy. Sometimes the enemy disguises itself as a friend, but the on the first opportunity it will bring you to your knees. You have to get mad! You have to be fed up! You have to get angry enough to take action against it. You have to be determined to take your life back. The intensity of your desire to live a happy life will be the fuel that will sustain you.

So the first thing you need to do is to simply make a decision. Decide right now, deep in your heart that you are taking back your life. You have had enough suffering and you now want nothing more then to just feel better. Decide to embark on a new life, one baby step at a time and promise to never give up on your own happiness. Know that you will win this battle, making depression a distant memory.

After you have gotten mad enough at the monster inside your head, and your mind is made up to live a truly happy life, the next thing you must do is to begin to be your own best friend. Becoming your own best friend is a very empowering process. To be your own best friend should be as natural as breathing, but somehow is not.


Think about this. What if you had to live the rest of your life attached to a clone of yourself? There was no way to escape the never ending chatter. What if everything your clone said, you believed? And the more you believed it, the more the clone would talk about what you believed.

Imagine that person talking negatively in your ear all day, every day. Saying things like ‘forget that! Don’t even try it! You know you can’t do that! Don’t be crazy. You’re not talented enough. Stop wasting your time. Get a real job. Life is about suffering, deal with it!’ How do you suppose it would affect your life?

Flip the coin now. Think of how you might feel if this clone loved you unconditionally. What would be possible for you, if all you heard all day was nothing but loving and encouraging words? Wouldn’t it be better to hear things like, ‘You should try that! It might be fun! You are beautiful and perfect, just as you are. Enjoy the journey of life, what can we learn today? You are amazing, I Love you.’ How would this affect you?

I’m sure you see my point. You are with your thoughts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You have the choice to keep talking down to yourself, or you can start lifting yourself up.
It’s time. Step up, turn the tables and YOU take charge.

Start to notice how your inner voice talks to you. Pay attention and lead it in a more positive direction. Replace negative thoughts with more reassuring ones and you will begin to feel better and better.

Be persistent in training your mind to join your side. It will resist the change. Becoming your own best friend is like having your own personal loving life coach, cheering you on at all times. There is no replacement for having a dedicated support system helping, guiding, and comforting you along the way.

Can You Feel it?

Every emotion you have ever had has been immediately labeled by your mind, as either being good or bad. From this list, you then choose to either let them flow and enjoy them, or you decide you must avoid them by any means necessary.



Emotions are the biggest part of the human experience. In life, we have to experience emotions completely by feeling them fully. Your feelings are your guide in figuring out life’s game, and to truly get what you desire. Even the negative emotions are imperative to living that happy, fulfilling life you so deserve. It’s sometimes easier to figure out what you want, by first knowing what you don’t want.


When you resist an emotion, or refuse to feel it, you are causing the energy system attached to it, to stall. It becomes stagnant, still energy within and around you. This may be why feelings of sadness stick around much longer then blissful ones.



The inability to express emotions can be psychologically and physically damaging. After all if you tell someone how you feel and they react critically instead of emphatically, you may reconsider sharing in the future. Expressing negative emotions may make you feel guilt or shame, so you cram them down even further. If not dealt with, the negative feelings intensify. Then you begin to see more negative experiences in your life then positive ones. Depression, anger, fear, sadness and anxiety creeps in and you get lost in the shuffle.



Negative feelings can have a damaging impact on your immune system. Certain hormones like adrenaline and cortisol are released in abundant amounts when you are fearful, angry or upset. Too much of these otherwise helpful hormones will weaken your immune system and harm its ability to fight off disease. The opposite is also a scientific fact; that positive emotions such as love, joy and contentment release chemicals within the body that strengthen your immune system. A healthy immune system is imperative in preventing diseases and sicknesses.



Negative emotions have the potential to take over your thoughts and your life. They can impair your ability to think rationally or see situations in their true perspective. The longer you hold onto a negative emotion, the more likely it will become a ‘normal’ pattern of thinking, entrenched in your being. If you continue to hold a grudge for instance, your anger isn’t being released and it may show up as an illness or chronic pain.



If an overwhelming amount of negative emotions are kept bottled up, you may start to look outwardly for ways to be cured. You might use food, exercise, drugs, alcohol, shopping or relationships as your band-aids. Instead, you need to learn to focus inwardly to find the peace and balance you crave.



Accept the fact that your emotions, however unfavorable, are here to stay. You can’t avoid them, so you might as well learn how to work with them instead. You can start by replacing negative emotions with more positive ones. Just by adding the powerful emotion of gratitude to your life can cause huge positive changes to happen.



Life is all about emotions. Any scene or event you have ever experienced can be broken down into many emotional parts. Emotions are simply the physical reactions you have to your thoughts. Your emotions are also constantly changing. One minute you may be feeling happy and at peace with the world, and then you hear a sad story on the news or read a disturbing article in the paper, and your emotions change rapidly to negative ones rather than positive ones.



Emotions are your signs to be more aware of something. They lead you by the hand in the dark Getting in touch with your emotions means paying attention to your mind – body connection. They are also great at helping you decide what you want in life, as well as what you don’t want. Emotions can be fun and should be used as your very own personal guidance system. They point directly to your hearts desires. Listen to your emotions; they are trying to tell you something.



If you are now experiencing more negative feelings then positive ones, then learning a constructive way to release their grip on you should be your priority. Some people use Yoga, Meditation, Aromatherapy, or Prayer. There are many techniques that are helping people rid themselves of unhealthy negative emotions. I use the Release Technique. It taught me how to stop any negativity instantly and now I feel better then ever.



Unless you have the proper guidance, letting go of emotional suffering can be very hard, especially if you have been fighting these emotions for a long time. Letting go, or releasing is something anyone can, and should learn. I don’t mean pushing your emotions away or stuffing them down even further. Your emotions are valid; it’s the feeling of suffering you want to be free of.

Using The Law Of Vibration To Manifest Your Vision

Science and Metaphysics agree. The essence of all things is

vibration. Science reveals that everything in the manifest

universe is ultimately composed of packets of energy; quantized

units vibrating at specific frequencies. Esoteric wisdom reveals

that in the beginning, all things were created through sound

(i.e. vibration); whether it be the 'OM' of Eastern mysticism or

the 'Word'/Logos of Western spirituality.



Our thoughts, feelings and actions also have their own particular

rates of vibration. These vibrations will set up resonance with

whatever possesses identical frequency. In other words, your

thoughts are inseparably connected to the rest of the universe.



This is why it is so essential to be a close observer of

yourself. As you think, feel and act, so you create the primary

vibration of your being. This fundamental vibration then creates

resonance with identical vibration frequencies in the universe.

The result is an attraction of circumstances, people, challenges

and opportunities in exact vibrational resonance with your own

dominant vibration frequency.



This principle lies at the heart of visualization techniques,

affirmations and the whole personal development movement. When

you visualize and repeat affirmations, you are helping to tune

your very being to a specific vibrational frequency on the inner

planes. Once that task is achieved, your mind comes into

vibrational resonance with the object of your desires. Being now

of the same frequency, this object (or goal) is inevitably

attracted into your life.



However, for such methods to work, it does imply that you have

changed your core vibration. This is very often the problem AND

explanation as to why such techniques seem to fail for so many

people. Over the course of many years, your inner conditioning is

created from the habitual thoughts, feelings and actions

that you engage in. This forms your self-image and creates the

level of self-esteem you feel. It shapes the way you

conceptualize the world you live in, as well as the way you

respond to it. It is how you interpret your life experiences.



If a person simply mouths affirmations or writes goals out,

without having touched the deep bedrock of their long-term

conditioning, such activities will not have much effect. This is

because the dominant vibration has not changed. You cannot go

against what your self-image, and your predominant conditioning,

say you are.



Thought is where it all begins. As your conscious mind dwells

habitually on thoughts of a certain quality, these become firmly

imbedded within the subconscious mind. They become the dominant

vibration. This dominant vibration sets up a resonance with other

similar vibrations and draws them into your life. This is easier

to understand if you consider that from the metaphysical view,

the whole universe IS MIND.



Hence, to draw what you wish into your life, you should begin

with the mind, and make it your primary focus. Most people do

things the other way around, and come up with practical

techniques to generate their desires, and then go out and try

them. However, when these methods are not in tune with your

dominant vibration, then you will have great difficulty making

the desired results come to pass. You will also feel most

uncomfortable if they do. You have trained your mind in a certain

way, you have set the thermostat at a certain level, and now you

are trying to exceed the limits you have set upon yourself by

sheer force.



The trap most people fall into is that they condition their

future with expectations from their past. It's like driving with

your eyes fixed on the rear view mirror the whole time. You

cannot see where you are going because you are too busy looking

back on past history. Is it any wonder that, for most people, the

future DOES closely resemble the past?!



The problem is that, by focusing continually on what you have

become as a result of past conditioning, you guarantee that you

draw this same dominant vibration into the future. This is also

why your desired future can seem so far away from you. It is

vibrating at an alien frequency and hence, in a real sense, it IS

very far away.



Instead, you have to first change the dominant vibration within.

Once your dominant vibration is in harmony with what you seek,

the latter must literally be 'attracted' to you without excessive

striving! It will seem easy in comparison to what came before. In

a very real sense, you have to become what you seek on the inside

before you can ever have it in physical reality.



There are several ways to gradually change the dominant vibration

of your inner being, and begin to resonantly attract what you

seek. One important thing to do is to have a clear vision of your

life as you want it to be; completely independent of the

circumstances of your present or past. Lack of absolute clarity

about their desired future could well be the number one reason

why people fail in life.





You are creating something new from the universal intelligence,

and drawing it into your reality. You do NOT have to base this

upon the past, your perceived weaknesses, or anything else that

derives from your limited self-image.



A good way to gain clarity is to write down in detail the

attainment of what you seek. What would it look like? How would

you feel if you achieved it? What difference would it make to

your life? It may take you days, or even weeks, to create this

vision, but it is time well spent.



By creating a vision of your desired state and putting energy

into it regularly, you use mind power to shape the very stuff of

creation. You create this imagined 'reality' in your mind to the

point where your subconscious actually believes it to be physical

reality and goes about making it so. It will attract the

circumstances, the people, and the opportunities you need to

bring about the vision you have created.



If you are doubtful about this, consider for a moment that you

are doing this anyway. The only difference is that you may be

unaware you are doing it. If so, your overall vibration is

incoherent, and hence your results fluctuate wildly. By becoming

conscious, you take conscious control of the creative process and

can learn to manifest at will.



Another way to change your vibration rate is to act 'as if'. If

you had already attained what you seek, how would you think and

act? Well, start thinking and acting that way right now. Again,

this helps to impress the dominant vibration you choose upon your

subconscious mind. Again, you have been doing this all your life

anyway. Simply take conscious deliberate control of the process

from now on. For instance, Cary Grant is known to have said:



'I acted like Cary Grant for so long, I became him.'



Taking time to meditate regularly on the truth that all is

vibration, seeing this reality in all is myriad guises, will also

help reinforce it upon your mind - both conscious and

subconscious. You will begin to believe it, and what you believe

is what you act upon.



The reason most people achieve very little in comparison to what

they are capable of is because they have no vision for the future

whatsoever. Focused, single-minded concentration upon a vision

you seek to create is what will actually cause it to happen. You

have to read your description every day (preferably twice or

more), and then vividly imagine it. Begin to live that reality

now in your mind's eye, and you make its future manifestation all

the more rapid. Do not even worry about how it will happen. Just

do your part and let the universe, through the law of vibration,

do the rest.





Copyright 2002, Asoka Selvarajah. All Rights Reserved.

reBlog from thedepressiontrap: The Depression Trap

I found this fascinating quote today:

Do our thoughts cause our feelings or do our feelings cause our thoughts? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is based on the theory that feelings are caused by thoughts. This seems to make a lot of sense. If we spend all our time thinking that our life is awful, we are useless and nothing is ever going to get better then it’s not surprising that we end up feeling sad, hopeless and despairing. Equally if we think we will succeed, recognize all the positive things in our life and think that things will improve this may help us to feel happy, optimistic and positive. The Depression Trap, Jul 2008

You should read the whole article.